Who would ever love a drunk?
by Madame Gaston 24
Summary: After the death of her father, Jane goes and stays with her brother, Chance. But after she literally runs into Duke, Chance's ex alcoholic deputy she's forced to take him home. Chance disappointed and ashamed by the deputy he's disowned, doesn't want his sister near this failure. Will Chance's big brother routine keep them apart or draw them closer together.
1. Chapter 1

Jane sat nervous and anxious in the wagon on the way to Rio Bravo, it had been a long and tiring journey. The sound of the horses hoofs would be enough to put her to sleep, if it wasn't for the uneven wobbling and rattling of the wooden cart. It had been years since she had seen her brother; she had stayed at home to care for her father who suffered with ill health while her brother moved towns in search of his dreams. But there was nothing left for her at home now, her father had since passed away, so she sent word to her brother letting him know of his father's passing and her intentions to come and stay with him.

Suddenly she heard a huge commotion from outside; she poked her head out and saw a tanned, dark haired drunken man, wearing a matching brown/green jacket and cowboy hat stumbling around straight in front of the galloping horses. By sheer luck he managed to avoid being trampled by the galloping horses but was unlucky enough to crack his head on the wood of the wagon as he staggered out the way.

Jane gasped in shock as she saw the scruffy looking man, get knocked into the dust by the speeding cart.  
"Please...stop, stop the cart!" Jane cried, as she lifted up her long, floor length gown and jumped off of the wagon as it ground to a halt.  
"Ma'am, Ma'am I don't think we should be stopping until we get you safe to your brother" The wagon driver said, but she ignored him and rushed to the side of the unconscious man.

As she got closer to the unconscious body she could smell the alcohol on his breath, it was potently strong. Hot sticky blood ran down the side of his tanned face, she couldn't help but notice how rough and tired his face was. His dark hair was greasy and unkempt and dark stubble covered his face making his handsome face look worn.  
"Quick I need your help to get him in the wagon" Jane ordered to the driver.  
"It's just Borrachón, he'll be fine just gotta sleep it off like he always does" The driver chuckled aware of the man's drinking habits.  
"No he's hurt, he's...he's bleeding" She said urgently, the driver sighed impatiently and walked up to her.  
"Oh damn must have cracked his head on the wagon, I thought we'd cleared him" The driver cursed.  
"If I can get him to my brothers I can patch him up there" Jane said looking up at the driver, her eyes pleading for him to help her.  
"Alright, alright" The driver sighed; Jane was thankful for the large muscular bulk of the wagon driver as he scooped the man up in his muscular arms and put him in the back of the wagon.

Jane sat there in the back of the wagon, supporting the injured man's head. As she did so she wondered what the man's story was, what could possibly have driven this man to alcoholism? He was a face without a name, the driver had said he was Borrachón but who or what was that? She was determined to find out but first she needed to get to her brothers and patch him up.

She slumped into a chair in one of her brother's spare bedrooms, worn out and exhausted. She'd had to give her driver a huge tip to help her get this man into one of the beds. She knew she would never have been able to manage herself but things could only be easier from here. She wasn't surprised to find her brother not home she assumed that with the job he had he was often out. Carefully with a cloth and cold water she washed away the blood from his face and patched up the gash on his head. The alcohol on his breath was still so strong, she hated to think of how much this man had consumed. "What's your story?" She said to herself as she applied the bandage round his head.

Suddenly the bedroom door opened and Jane jumped with surprise, she turned round and saw her brother stood there in the door way.  
"Chance!" She squealed happily and rushed to him, wrapping her arms round his waist. "Chance, oh my God what happened?" She gasped with concern as she saw blood too running down her brother's face.  
"Problem down the saloon, it's alright I'm fine" His eyes drifted over to his spare bed. "What's he doing here?" Chance glared.  
"You know him?" Jane asked surprised and Chance nodded his head.  
"That's Dude, he _was_ my deputy, though more of the town drunk now" Jane couldn't help but notice the tone of disgust and disappointment in his voice. "He's who smashed my skull in" Chance sighed sadly.  
"What, why?" She gasped.  
"He was desperate for a drink, got down on his knees to get a dollar out of a spittoon so I kicked it so he decided to hit me over the head with an axe handle" Chance explained sadly, remembering how low his deputy who he'd raised like a son had sunk.

Dude moaned and moved his head to the side in his sleep, startling them both.  
"We need to talk" Chance said sternly, grabbing her wrist and pulling her out the room and closing the door behind them.  
"I want him out of here" Chance sternly whispered as he glared at her.  
"What! We can't kick him out he's hurt" Jane said shocked.  
"Look...no one cares about him more than I do... I tried to help him today and what does he do? Bashes my skull in...I've given him a heap of chances" Chance whispered.  
"We can't kick him out now" Jane hissed.  
"I don't want him near you Jane, he's my friend but you get to close he'll drag you down, today I've almost been killed by the crap he causes" Chance said sternly.  
"Look Chance...It's nice that you're playing the protective big brother routine so seriously, considering I haven't seen you for years, but I think I can look after myself, and we can't just kick out an injured man" Jane snapped, causing Chance to sigh with frustration. He had forgotten how stubborn she could be.  
"Fine but as soon as he's well enough he's leaving, I don't want you getting close to him Jane I mean that" He said sternly, she could see he was deadly serious and nodded in agreement. Once he was well enough why would she want him to stay?


	2. Chapter 2

_Hesitantly Dude lowered to kneel on the ground to fetch the coin out of the spittoon; he really didn't want to sink that low, to rummage his hand around in men's spit and chewing tobacco but he was desperate, he needed money to buy a drink to stop the shaking. It was embarrassing, disgusting and degrading but he needed a drink so bad. A brown boot kicking the spittoon out of his reach had caught him by surprise; he looked up and saw the ashamed, disgusted face of Chance. It broke Dudes heart having Chance seeing him like this, he could barely look him in the eye for the shame he felt and knowing Chance was disappointed in him. Chance had been like a father to him and to see Chance look so ashamed of him and with a look of pity in his eyes near enough destroyed him._

Chance hissed in pain as Jane cleaned the cut on his head.  
"Oh hush now, you big baby" Jane said, it made her laugh to see a big man like Chance wince at a cut head, she knew if she was a girl he liked he would act all big and tough like they wasn't hurting him. Chance glared up at her.  
"You know…Dude was the best deputy there was, never seen a man that good with a gun, he saved my life more times than I can count" Chance sighed.  
"What happened? Where did it all go wrong?" Jane said securing the patch over his cut and then sitting back.  
"He fell in love…." Chance began, Jane opened her mouth to ask what he meant but he continued to explain "He left town with the girl he fell in love with, but she left him, he returned to Rio Bravo alone and has been on the drink ever since" Chance sighed.  
"That must have been awful" She whispered, she felt so sorry for Dude for his current situation and all the heart break he had suffered that had got him there.

Jane went to check on Dude to see if he had aroused, he was still out cold. She didn't know whether it was the large amount of alcohol that he'd consumed or the bump on the head that had made him unconscious for so long. She got a cool damp flannel and dabbed it over his face before laying it flat across his forehead. Dude groaned and started to move, he raised his hands to his eyes and rubbed them, he frowned as his vision cleared and he saw Jane smiling down at him.  
"Good to see you with us" She said smiling; Dude began to try and sit up. "Shhh it's alright don't move you hit your head pretty bad"  
"Urgh my head…Where am I?" He asked frowning.  
"Chance's, you staggered into my wagon so I brought you back here"  
"Ohhhh God Chance is gonna be so mad" Dude groaned, remembering not a lot else other than hitting Chance with the axe handle.  
"Don't you worry none, you leave Chance to me….I'm Jane his little sister" Jane rose from her chair and went to walk out "Get some rest Dude sleep the rest of that alcohol off" She said then slowly and quietly closed the door behind her.

As Chance walked into the kitchen, Jane glared at him.  
"Dudes awake in case you were wondering" Jane snapped.  
"Give me a break will you" Chance groaned "No one cares about him more than I do, but sometimes you have to give someone tough love to pull themselves back together again"  
"He doesn't need tough love Chance, he needs you, he needs support!" Jane said with frustration throwing her spoon into the soup pot. "God no wonder the alcohols beaten him means you've turned your back on him!"  
"Don't you dare!" Chance growled pointing a finger at her "You've been here five minutes and you already seem to think you know everything that's going on"  
"I know what's going on because I know you! Whenever things get tough with people you love you run, sure you'll stand up to the bad guys and the criminals but when people need you, you run"  
"I don't run!"  
"Sure you do….Mum….Dude when things get tough and people need you, you run because you don't like seeing the people you care about suffer" Chance clenched his fist and gave a heavy sigh, knowing what Jane was saying was right. "I wish you would give him another shot, he needs to know you believe in him, that you have faith in him to beat this"  
"I'd give him another shot if he could keep damn sober, I need a deputy that I can rely on not one that's so drunk he can barely stand" Chance snapped walking out and slamming the door behind him. "And another thing…" He exclaimed opening the door again "Don't forget what I said about him, I don't want you getting close to him not while he's drinking I mean it" Chance said in a deadly serious tone and shut the door after him again.

"Thought you might be hungry" Jane called as she carried a bowl of soup and fresh bread on a tray into the bedroom.  
"Ma'am I'm so hungry when I walk I squeak" Dude joked making her laugh.  
"Guess you spent your money on everything but food huh?" Jane said raising an eyebrow at him; Dude turned his head and avoided her gaze. He couldn't look at her in the eye and lie to her, and he was ashamed of his situation and embarrassed to have a woman see him such a mess.  
"Awww don't do that, it's alright you don't need to feel ashamed round me, I'm not judging I'm just glad I'm here to feed you"  
"Thank you ma'am" Gritting his teeth at his hurting muscles as he sat up. His whole body ached, he felt like he'd been ran over by stampeding horses.  
"We'll get you a bath for those bruises once you're strong enough" She said noticing him wincing in pain.

Dude ate like he hadn't eaten in days "Careful slow down, when was the last time you ate?" Jane asked concerned, seeing how his dirty brown jacket hung baggy and shapelessly on his body, she assumed it used to be a perfect fit; he must have lost tons of weight. Dude shrugged, he couldn't remember what he did yesterday let alone when he had last eaten.  
"You need to look after yourself Dude, Chance is worried about you"  
"Chance couldn't care less" Dude scoffed, putting down his spoon and frowning at her.  
"Of course he cares, he's just….upset to see you destroy yourself, he doesn't like seeing you like that"  
"And what do you see?"  
"I see a man….a handsome man under all that dirt and grime, that's suck in a bad place and just needs someone to help get him out"  
"Maybe you're right, although I think you've had the same knock on the head, been a while since anyone's called me handsome" Dude joked.  
"That's what soap is for" Jane laughed, she thought he was handsome as he was even though he looked rough, she wished that he would believe her. She could only imagine what a treat for the eyes he would be after a bath and some new clothes.


	3. Chapter 3

Jane stirred the bath with her hand checking that it was hot enough, now that he was awake she knew he had to get washed and into some clean clothes because Dudes clothes looked like they wasn't even fit for burning. She picked Dude out some of Chance's pyjamas, they would hang loose on his small frame but at least they were clean while she tried to do something with his old clothes.  
"You know you don't have to do all this for me ma'am" Dude said frowning as she came back in from the bathroom.  
"Don't be silly, the least I can do is look after you after almost running over you" She laughed.  
"Well I appreciate it ma'am" He said smiling. Jane couldn't help but notice he had the most gorgeous smile, revealing a row of dazzling white teeth, his cheeks bunched up under his eyes when he smiled and dimpled appeared on his cheeks. It made her get butterflies in her stomach.  
"I told you its Jane, you don't have to be so formal around me" Dude gave her an understanding nod before pulling the sheets off himself to head for the bathroom.

She watched him concerned as he gritted his teeth as he stood up, his head felt dizzy and was pounding, his whole body ached.  
"You be careful Dude, I don't want you fainting, you've hit your head pretty bad" She said thinking back to the thick red blood running down his bristle covered cheek when she had found him. "Everything you need is in there, just shout if you need anything else" Turning round to give her a smile he said.  
"Thank you ma'am….Jane" He said after a pause, deciding to use her actual name. But he knew he wouldn't disturb her anymore, he didn't want to take advantage of her hospitality. Her offering him a bath and some clean clothes was much more than anyone had done for him for a long while, he couldn't be more grateful.

As Dude had a bath Jane made tea for them both, but as she made tea she couldn't help but think of Dude in that bath. It was wrong of her to have those kinds of thoughts, women should not fantasise about such things. But her head was filled with images of Dudes tanned skin wet and shiny in the water, him lying there with his head back resting on the edge of the bath and eyes closed, his chest exposed to her eyes above the bubbles but nothing below was visible. She began to feel very hot and bothered and her cheeks glowed red as she had these images in her mind. But then she thought about what Chance had said to her, he had warned her off him, said that he was trouble. Surely it was madness to go against what Chance had said if it was true what he had told her? But even though she hadn't known him long she hated the idea of letting him go once he was better and never seeing him again.

The sound of the water boiling broke her train of thought, she shook her head to clear her mind, it was stupid her feeling the way she did for Dude means she'd only known him for such a short period of time. Jane set out the tea tray and carried it up the stairs ready for when Dude had finished in the bathroom. Walking into the bedroom she timed it just as Dude exited the bathroom, she'd expected him to be in the pyjamas she had picked out for him, but no instead he walked out of the bathroom towel wrapped round his waist, he was freshly shaven, his hair hanging wet and his hairy chest shining.

Jane stood there mouth open gobsmacked and speechless, accidently dropping the tea tray at such a sight.  
"Oh God, I….I'm so sorry, I, I should have knocked but the tea tray and I, oh God I…." She stuttered quickly avoiding her gaze as she bent down and frantically started picking up the broken crockery. Her cheeks burned red with embarrassment, which was matched by the burning she felt between her legs at the sight she had seen. Suddenly she heard thundering footsteps coming up the stairs but it was too late, Chance stormed into the bedroom and saw Dude in just a towel and Jane frantically clearing up the mess she had made.  
"What in tarnation is going on here?" Change growled.  
"Chance…I… I can explain" Stuttered Dude, embarrassed and slightly afraid of Chances' anger.  
"Jane, what is going on, don't you have no self respect, has our parents not taught you how to behave like a lady?" He snapped, Jane looked up at him and opened her mouth to speak but Dude jumped to her defence.  
"Chance, please it wasn't her fault, it was just bad timing is all, I came out the bath just as she came and brought tea" Jane smiled up at Dude, appreciative that he would stand up for her.  
"I don't want you in this house no more Dude, I don't trust you round Jane, you're a mess" Jane could see the hurt in Dudes eyes from her brothers words. "You were like a son to me and you disappointed me, I won't let you disappoint Jane too and drag her down to your level, maybe when you stay sober I can give you another shot, but until then…..Just get dressed and go" Chance tampered out. Dude avoided Chance's gaze and lowered his head in shame.

Jane stood up with the tray and put it on the side and turned towards Chance.  
"Chance please…."  
"It's alright Jane, I don't want to cause problems, I'll get dressed then I'll go" Dude cut in, interrupting her. Jane sighed heavily realising that there was no way to convince her brother, once his mind was in a mood he stuck to it. As Dude grabbed his clothes then went into the bathroom, Jane glared angrily at her brother.  
"Chance, he's injured we can't kick him out" She whispered.  
"It's just a bang on the head he'll be fine, no different to what I've had" Chance argued.  
"You've Changed Chance, I don't like what you've become, just because you're sheriff doesn't mean you can rule my life too" Jane sighed, remembering what her brother was like before he left home.

Dude walking out the bathroom disrupted their whispering argument. It saddened her to see him back in the clothes she hadn't had time to wash.  
"I better go, thank you for everything Jane, I appreciate it" Dude said putting his dirty brown hat on his head.  
"Your welcome, Chance you can't make him go" She said trying one more time to convince him, but Chance said nothing.  
"It's alright Jane, I'll be fine" Dude smiled, he desperately wanted to stroke her cheek to comfort her but refrained as he knew that would make Chance madder. So he just quietly walked out and all Jane could do was watch him leave.


	4. Chapter 4

Jane didn't sleep at all well that night; she lay awake all night staring up at the ceiling, shifting around uncomfortably. She couldn't help but think about Dude, she was worried about him. He'd had a nasty bang on the head and he'd been cast out of the house onto the street when he should be in bed resting. Suddenly there was a gentle knock on her door and Chance walked in.  
"Jane?" He whispered in his deep voice.  
"What do you want?" She huffed.  
"I want to apologise, but I'm not changing my decision. I'm trying to do the right thing by you, and I'm trying to look after you, which is hard for me because….I've never been there for you" Chance said solemnly.  
"Tell me about it Chance, I never did thank you for all those years you left me alone to take care of Dad" Jane said bitterly.  
"I was trying to make something of myself, someone needed to go out and work to send money to you guys because our dad sure as hell wasn't, even before he was ill…." Chance trailed off, regretting he'd said anything.

Chance being a lot older than Jane, remembered their father before he had gotten elderly and ill. Their father had been just the same as Dude, a drunk and a waste of space. At least Dude had tried to work and earn money where as their father was just a bum, squandering what little money he had on booze and unable to provide for his family. That's when Chance realised he had to step up, he would never tell Jane the truth about their father, but he vowed to never let Jane end up in the same situation their mother had been in. He wanted more for his little sister.

Jane hated walking through the town, constantly she heard people in the crowds laughing and giggling at Dudes (Borrachóns') expense. But when the jokes between the town's people turned into gossiping of his disappearance for a few days Jane began to get very worried. But it also angered her that although they were voicing their concerns of not seeing him around for a while, no one appeared concerned enough to actually do anything and go and look for him.

She didn't tell Chance where she was going, she knew he would only demand that she not go and would make him angry. Jane knew he meant well but she wished he would let her make her own decisions and mistakes.

It wasn't hard to find his home, Jane thought that would be the first place to look means she didn't really think anyone cared that much, to actually check on him. It saddened her to find the door unlocked, he must keep it unlocked in case he lost his keys when he was drunk or if he was too drunk to actually unlock the door. But that was nothing compared to when she actually went inside. His home was small, dark and dusty and littered with bottles, they clinked and clattered against each other as she scooted round the ones on the floor. Jane wasn't sure if she was relieved or not finding him not home, after seeing his house. She could at least hope that he was somewhere better than here.

After searching everywhere she realised she had no other choice but to ask Chance for help, he had experience of Dude when he was on the drink, maybe he would know where he might go.  
"Chance, I need your help, Dude's missing I can't find him anywhere" Jane panted out of breath running into the sheriff's office.  
"Jane it's none of your concern" Chance shrugged.  
"Chance! Dude's your friend, he was like a son to you, please he needs you" Jane begged, angry that Chance would turn his back on him. Chance groaned and rubbed his face with his hands, realising that Jane was right. He couldn't just turn his back on Dude, Dude would never ever turn his back on Chance, he worshipped the ground he walked on. He couldn't just leave him if he needed his help, so reluctantly he agreed.

After much searching she heard Chance yell that he had found him. She ran to him and went into the barn to find Dude passed out in the hay. Jane rushed up to him and tried to wake him but he didn't stir. Suddenly a typhoon of water splashed over him as Chance picked up a bucket of horses drinking water and threw it over him. Dude coughed and spluttered on the water.  
"Chance!" Jane scolded.  
"What, It worked didn't it?" Chance shrugged.  
"Jane?" Dude slurred, squinting up at her.  
"He's drunk out of his mind" Chance said watching Dude swaying as he tried to sit up.  
"Here let me help" She said softly, putting an arm round his back and helping him sit up. "What are you doing here Dude?" Jane asked worried, looking at the paralytic Dude with mud smeared on one side of his face from where he was sleeping.  
"I…I had a bottle, somewhere" He slurred, ignoring her question and routing through the mud and hay to find his bottle.

Dude lifted the hay covered bottle to his lips and took a big swig, making Jane cringe.  
"Dude, I think you've had enough" Jane suggested politely. Chance frowned, grabbed the bottle from Dude and threw it across the barn, smashing it against the wall.  
"I've had enough of this Dude! You need to pull yourself together" Dude looked up at Chance through blurry eyes, swaying on the spot.  
"Chance we need to get him home" Jane said.  
"Leave him here, maybe he might learn some sense from it" Chance grumbled.  
"Chance, don't be so cruel!" She scolded, "Come on grab an arm" Giving a heavy sigh Chance went to Dude and threw one of Dudes arms round his neck and Jane did the same.  
"One, two, three, go!" Jane groaned as they both stood up, taking the brunt of Dudes weight.

They both huffed and puffed as they staggered down the street with Dude. They knew if they let him go he'd collapse in a heap on the floor.  
"How did I get talked into this?" Chance grumbled under his breath.  
"Because you secretly still care for him" Jane panted back.  
"I'm too old for this" He moaned back.  
"It's not exactly a breeze for me either" Jane snapped, she hadn't expected it to be such hard work.

After the huge fight of getting him home, washed and into some clean clothes they threw him into his bed to sleep it off.  
"A man should never have to see another man in his underclothes" Chance shuddered at the image "Never mind a sheriff having to dress his deputy" Chance said annoyed rolling his eyes "How can I rely on a man like that to have my back? And you want me to give him a second chance?" Chance scoffed "I'd be dead within a month"  
"I told you, you care about him" Jane said smugly.  
"Yeah…." Chance agreed rubbing his cheek.  
"I better stick around, make sure he don't choke on his vomit or something" She said, Chance nodded in agreement.  
"Do you want me to stay?" Chance asked, Jane shook her head; there was no point both of them losing a night's sleep. He didn't feel comfortable her being left alone with Dude but last thing he wanted was for him to die because of his decisions.  
"You behave then Jane, act like a lady" He warned.  
"I will Chance" She smiled, tiptoeing to kiss him on the cheek "Thank you for your help" Chance nodded and walked out leaving her to it. Jane sat by Dudes bed keeping an eye on him, it was heartbreaking to see a man so broken; she wished that she could help him.


End file.
